Display device



V. L. VENDOPE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 4; 1956 W1. lf/vpapb PatentedMay 2, 1939 PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY DEVICE Van L. Vcndope, Dallas, Tex.,assignor of thirtythree and one-third per cent to Richard Burdick andthirty-three and one-third per cent to Arthur S. Baron, both of Dallas,Tex.

Application August 4, 1936, Serial No. 94,266

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in displaydevices.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved display deviceadapted to be applied to an ordinary lumiline lamp, or other tubularmember.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved displaydevice including a sleeve member or cover having indicia thereon, whichcover or sleeve is arranged to engage over a lumiline lamp, whereby theindicia appears to be displayed' on the lamp and actual painting orotherwise displaying the indicia on the lamp proper is eliminated; thecover or sleeve member being readily removable from the lamp, wherebychanges of the indicia displayed on a single lamp may be made withoutchanging the lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved display devicefor lumiline lamps including a transparent sleeve fitting over said lampthroughout the length thereof, and a display member or sheet havingindicia thereon adapted to be inserted between the surface of the lampand the sleeve, which sleeve retains the 5 display sheet in positionwith the indicia on said sheet visible therethrough; the sheet beingremovable so that a sheet having different indicia may be substitutedtherefor without removing the sleeve from the lamp.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved displaydevice for a tubular lamp including a sheet having indicia thereonarranged to overlie the surface of the lamp so as to follow the contourthereof, with means for retaining the sheet on the lamp in a fixedposition so as to prevent its sliding or moving out of display.position.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, inwhich an example of the invention-is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric View of an ordinary electrical lumiline lamphaving a display device, constructed in accordance with the invention,applied thereto, and portions thereof being broken away,

Figure 2 is a transverse, sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 1,the lamp being in elevation,

Figure 3 is an elevation of one end of the lamp and device, viewing thesame from the side opposite that shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on. the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section of aslightly modified form of the invention,

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

In the drawing, the numeral I0 designates a tubular electric lamp, whichis known as a lumiline lamp, and which may be purchased on the openmarket. The ends of the lamp are fitted with the usual contact caps I lwhich frictionally engage the same and which have the electricalcontacts It? for insertion into an electrical outlet or plug (notshown), whereby electrical current is conducted to the lamp to lightthesame. Since the lamp forms no part of the invention and is of the usualconstruction, the details of the caps It, as well as their connection tothe ends of the lamp are deemed unnecessary. The invention is not to belimited to this particular type of lamp but may be applied to anytubular lamp.

I':. has been found that tubular lamps have come into wide use in signsand other displays. Due to the attractiveness of the tubular lamp, saidlamp provides a valuable advertising space, and therefore, by paintingor otherwise applying indicia to the outer surface of the lamp, a mosteffective and attractive display may be had. However, by permanentlyaffixing the indicia to the lamps surface, the lamp is rendered uselessfor other displays and use. Also, if the occasion for the display haspassed, then the lamp must be discarded.

In carrying out the invention, an elongate sleeve l3 (Figures 5 and 6),which is arranged to encircle the lamp, is provided. This sleeve ispreferably of the same length as the lamp so as to cover the entiresurface thereof, although it could, if desired, be'made shorter. Thesleeve is constructed of Cellophane or other similar ma'erial and it isdesirable that the sleeve be transparent so that the light from the lampis visible therethrough. It is possible, however, to make the sleevetranslucent or opaque and although light rays could not pass directlythrough, yet the purpose of the invention could be carried out. Theattractiveness of the display may be enhanced by coloring the sleeveeither the same color as the lamp or a different color.

Suitable indicia I4 is displayed on the outer surface of the sleeve andthis indicia may take the form of printing, writing, figures, pictures,etc. The indicia or figures may be suitably colored, and when the sleeveis made of transparent material, the lamp surface, lighted or unlighted,is clearly visible therethrough and the indicia appear to be painted orafflxed directly on the lamp surface. The sleeve may be readily placedon. or removed from the lamp by merely removing one of the caps I l andsliding the sleeve over the end of the lamp. It is obvious that withthis arrangement, the sleeve may be readily removed so that anothersleeve carrying different indicia may be substituted therefor. Thesurface of the lamp proper is never marred and thus, the lamp is not inany way changed. If it is desired to use the lamp in the ordinarymanner, the sleeve is removed and the usual lamp is had. It ispreferable that the sleeve be made of Cellophane", or other similarmaterial, so as to reduce the manufacturing costs but it is possible toconstruct the sleeve of thin glass which could be either transparent orfrosted.

In some cases, it is desirable to change the indicia each day, and forthis purpose an insertable sheet l5 may be provided. The sheet being,

either transparent or opaque, has the desired indicia l6 printed, orotherwise displayed thereon and is inserted around the lamp beneath thesleeve l3 (Figures 1 and 3). The portion of the sleeve covering thesheet is transparent so that the indicia I6 is visible therethrough. Itis not necessary that the sheet completely encircle the lamp but it needonly be sufliciently large to accommodate the indicia. It is apparentthat the sleeve acts as a retaining member to hold the sheet in place,and with this arrangement the display may be changed by merely removingthe sheet and substituting a new one therefor. The sleeve in this caseneed never be removed and may or may not have indicia thereon, asdesired.

In placing thesheet between the sleeve and lamp, the frictional contactof the sleeve therewith is depended upon to hold the sheet in properposition so as to present the indicia to an observer at the front of thelamp. Ordinarily this frictional engagement of the sleeve is suflicient,but in some instances it has been found that the sheet slides or movescircumferentially around 'the lamp so that only a portion of the indiciais visible from the front of the lamp.

For holding the sheet in a fixed position with relation to the sleeve,said sleeve may be provided on its rear side with openings l6. TonguesI! are formed on the longitudinal edges of the sheet I5 and are arrangedto engage in the openings, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. When soengaged the sheet I5 is incapable of movement with relation to thesleeve l3, and thus the indicia or display on said sheet is held in afixed position on the lamp. It is again noted that the sleeve l3 may beused by itself, or it may be employed to retain the insertable sheet inposition. In either case no indicia is affixed to the lamp properalthough the effect of such display is given.

In Figure 7 I have shown a slightly modified form of the invention, inwhich a cover 20 is provided. The cover is substantially semi-circularin cross-section and may be made of Celluloid or other material having adegree of resiliency. The longitudinal edges of the cover may be spreadto engage the same over the lamp and the inherent elasticity of thematerial will cause the same to snugly engage the lamp. of course, ifdesired, the cover may he slid onto the lamp over the end, as is thesleeve.

It is noted that in all cases any number of complete advertisements ordisplays may be placed on a single sleeve or cover, and the invention-isnot to be limited to displaying a single advertisement on the sleeve.Although it is preferabie to paint or otherwise permanently display theindicia on the sleeve or cover, it would be possible to make said sleeveor cover of an opaque material through which the light cannot pass, andthen to cut out portions of the sleeve or cover to form the desiredindicia. In such case, it will be obvious that the lamp surface would bevisible through the cut-out portions and when the lamp is lighted, theeffect of an illuminated lettering is produced. It is pointed out thatalthough the sleeve or cover has been described as removable, it wouldbe possible to cement, or otherwise permanently attach, said sleeve orcover to the surface of the lamp. With such arrangement, it

will be obvious that indicia may be printed on the cover or sleeve,thereby eliminating the necessity of painting or otherwise afiixing theindicia to the lamp surface.

Although the sleeve or cover has been described as having indicia, orother display thereon, such indicia could be eliminated and said sleevemay be of a contrasting color, whereby the lamp may be givenany desiredcolor. The colored sleeve may or may not extend throughout the length ofthe lamp.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Illuminable display means, comprising, in combination, a tubular lampelement of the character described and having detachable cap members atits opposite ends of greater diameter than the tube proper, andinterchangeable external illuminable display sleeves loosely fitting thelamp tube and when applied being removably retained by said detachablecap members, the respective display-sleeves being open at their oppositeends whereby to be slipped, either end first, onto and from the lamptube.

2. An interchangeable display device, comprising, in combination,an'elongate tubular lamp having detachable caps at its opposite ends, anexternal illuminable display sleeve fitted removably on the lamp tubeproper and retained by said detachable cap members, a portion of saidsleeve being transparent, and an illuminable sheet of lesser length thansaid sleeve and inserted between the lamp tube and said sleeve in regionof the transparent portion of the sleeve and having indicia visiblethrough'said portion.

3. The combination with an elongate tubular lamp having detachablecontact elements arranged to frictionally engage the ends of the lampand extend laterally therefrom, of an exter-' nal illuminable displaysleeve open at its ends and arranged to be slidably engaged over saidlamp prior to the attachment of the contact elements, whereby after saidsleev'eis in place and the elements are positioned, the sleeve cannot beremoved from the lamp.

' VAN L. VENDOPE.

